PAS and its president Abdul Hadi Awang should not use Islam as a tool to lie and slander for political expediency, said PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.

The Port Dickson member of parliament said this in reference to Hadi’s claims that there is a plot within Pakatan Harapan for a vote of no confidence against PH chairman and Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“They lie, and now they slander, but if they want to use politics as a platform for their lies and slander, they just shouldn’t do it in the name of Islam.

“They are destroying the good image of Islam, the good name of an Islamist party. The non-Muslims are now mocking us by saying the so-called religious scholars can now lie and slander.

“My advice as a Muslim to them is for them to stop this lying,” he said after attending the Lembah Pantai Chinese New Year open house celebration in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur today.

Hadi yesterday reiterated his stance that there is a plot against Dr Mahathir in PH.

“If there’s no wind, the trees won’t sway,” he said in Terengganu yesterday. A video clip of him speaking to the media on the matter was posted on his Facebook page.

He also reiterated his pledge that PAS would support Dr Mahathir should a vote of no confidence come to pass.

Yesterday, Anwar said no PH leader had heard of a plot within the pact to dislodge Dr Mahathir, adding that only PAS leaders had been talking about a vote of no confidence.

Earlier this week, PAS said in a statement that it was Dr Mahathir who had given the party the impression he was the victim of a conflict brewing within PH.

PAS said the PH chairman hinted there was a conflict or “clash of titans” among component party leaders over Dr Mahathir’s leadership.

Dr Mahathir said he would wait and see if PAS leaders would support him as promised in the event of a vote of no confidence.

Last week, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said party leaders had promised to support Dr Mahathir if there is a no-confidence vote against him in Parliament. – February 23, 2019.